Coshocton Career Center students win auto tech contest

May 25, 2013

Automotive Technology seniors Kane Wilkie (TVHS) and Matt Krasky (RVHS) [Center, L-R] proudly display the first-place trophy they received as the top finishers of Ford-AAA High School Automotive Service contest, a state-wide event which took place Friday, May 10, at Owens Technical College in Toledo, Ohio. The two were one of ten two-man teams to compete in the event, and will now travel to Dearborn, Michigan, to compete in the national challenge, June 12. Flanking the students are Randy Orsborn, junior AT instructor at the Career Center [Left], and Dennis Rine, senior instructor [Right]. / Submitted

Written by

Holly Richards

Staff Writer

COSHOCTON — It’s hard to imagine Matt Krasky didn’t know his way around a vehicle two years ago, but he has proved his abilities academically and mechanically.

“Before my junior year, I knew nothing about cars or even how to change oil,” he said. “But I’ve learned so much.”

Krasky, a senior at River View High School and the Coshocton County Career Center, recently was rewarded for his vehicular know-how. He and fellow Career Center senior Kane Wilkie, also a Tri-Valley High School senior, won the Ford-AAA High School Automotive Service contest.

For their first-place finish, Krasky and Wilkie won their choice of a $5,000 to $10,000 scholarship prize and an assortment of tools and supplies, both to be used to further their educations in the field of automotive service. Participating colleges offering scholarships are The University of Northwestern Ohio, Lincoln Technical College, Universal Technical Institute, Ohio Technical Institute and Columbus State Community College.

The contest was divided into two parts. After passing a written test designed to measure technical knowledge, Krasky and Wilkie were invited to Owens Community College in Toledo on May 10 for the second part. They had an hour and a half to diagnose various malfunctions in a 2013 Ford Focus and correct them. Wilkie was in charge of exterior bugs, and Krasky ran engine diagnostics.

“I wasn’t expecting to win since we didn’t know what direction to go, but we figured it out,” Wilkie said.

“For the first 45 minutes nothing got done,” Krasky said. “We kept running into dead ends. One problem was the transmission. But once I found it, it all fell into place.”

Dennis Rine, senior auto tech instructor at Coshocton County Career Center, said Wilkie and Krasky’s patience on the project helped lead to their success. They finished with the only perfect car after one hour and 25 minutes — five minutes before the deadline.

“These guys did not give up, and they worked well together,” Rine said. “Kane is very mature, he picks up on things quickly, and he’s a good, hard worker. Matt is more of the computer guy, and it’s been great to see how he’s blossomed.

“We’ve taken students to the state finals 15 times since 1986, and this year was the first we’ve had a first-place win.”

Jay Shepler, sales manager at DeCosky Ford, said he was pleased to donate the vehicle used at the competition, and the dealership also will provide a 2013 Ford Explorer for the national contest. It will be June 12 at Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. Krasky and Wilkie will practice on the car the week before the contest.

Win or lose at the national level, Krasky and Wilkie are proud to have a career path because of their auto tech classes. Both plan to attend Columbus State and eventually work at car dealerships. Wilkie said he plans to take time off to save money, then go on to work as a service technician. Krasky said he wants to work his way up from an entry level technician to a master technician.